Abode on the Rock – Festival expected to attract 1,500 UK visitors

Abode on the Rock – a festival that is popular with the English market, will be visiting Gozitan shores next month, together with around 1,500 visitors, mainly from the UK.

During its launch today, The Malta Tourism Authority said that, Abode on the Rock is the latest festival to be added to the islands’ event calendar, “and is another boost to the festival tourism niche, which the Malta Tourism Authority has a great interest in growing.”

The Abode organisers said on its website that it will be “taking over the island of Gozo for its first ever international festival.” Promising boat parties, multiple events and a huge line-up.

The festival, which is by ticket for sale online on the website, is being held on the weekend of Friday, the 8th till Sunday, the 10th of June, with a huge DJ line up on each of the three days.

The daytime events will take place below Ramla Bay and the night time events will take place in Xlendi (La Grotta).

The MTA said in this first year of the festival, Abode is expected to have a “direct economic value-added impact of around €330,000, whilst directly effecting over 630 jobs.”

It added that, “overall, meaning directly and indirectly, Abode is expected to have an economic impact of around €630,000 in its first year, whilst effecting around 1,100 jobs.”

The Minister for Tourism Konrad Mizzi stressed the positive collaboration between the Ministry for Gozo and the Ministry for Tourism.

The Malta Tourism Authority will be promoting tourism in Gozo through high-level events in order to attract tourists who come specifically for the island, he said.

Minister for Gozo Justyne Caruana, said that the Ministry is working to ensure that more events are organised on the island, so that Gozo is seen as a distinct destination. She said that this festival will leave a positive impact on the economy.

Dr Caruana explained that the aim is to organise different events every month with activities targeted for everyone’s tastes, this festival will attract a different audience to the island.

The MTA said that it believes in Festival Tourism for a variety of reasons, such as that many of these festivals take place outside of the busy summer months and that these festivals “create a purpose for the younger demographic of tourists to visit the Maltese Islands for the first time.”

It said that “festivals also greatly help the local economy, as the vast majority of those that visit the islands for these festivals, besides residing at various accommodation options, will also be consuming all their meals and drinks from restaurants, cafes and bars.”

The MTA Executive Chairman, Dr. Gavin Gulia, said that Abode is a staple name in the party scene, with Abode having a residency in Ibiza at one of the most well-known clubs there, namely Amnesia.

Poor Ramla! The bay is exquisite and has so far been left intact. It is ecologically an area of extreme importance, both for the sand dunes with rare endemic flora and fauna and the sea itself, one of the loveliest swimming and snorkelling zones in Gozo.
I hope that this activity is strictly regulated, Abode’s residency in Ibiza is hardly a recommendation!